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University campus is not an ‘enclosed area’ in 1824 Act

April 13 2009, 1:00am, The Times

Queen’s Bench Divisional Court

Published April 13, 2009

Akhurst v Director of Public Prosecutions

University grounds and buildings were not an enclosed area for the purposes of the Vagrancy Act 1824 which referred to any dwelling house, warehouse, coach house, stable or outhouse, enclosed yard, garden or area.

The Queen’s Bench Divisional Court (Lord Justice Goldring and Mr Justice Sweeney) so held on March 12, 2009, when allowing an appeal by way of case stated brought by the defendants, Lee Mark Akhurst and Tony Akhurst, against their convictions by Tottenham Justices on August 6, 2007, on a charge of being found in an enclosed area for an unlawful purpose, contrary to section 4 of the 1824 Act.